Alternate route possibility---have not rode it this year---back roads to Blanchard ID from Highway 2 side, then north to almost Newport---take a right, follow road that ends up coming down by the river near Priest River on opposite side of river, ride east on a great twisty to highway 95 or until boredom sets in and turn around and repeat. Up behind Mt Spokane could easily be sandy this time of year, other roads getting there sometimes a little bumpy---later in ride roads should usually be in good shape. Anything around this neck of the woods in mountainous or slightly mountainous areas often still have sand or potholes or frost heave or something until later in the year---. Wellpinit is amazingly clean this year, sounds like highway 57 around CDA is clean---but those have already been done by many. Or if anybody wants to bench race at my house, motogp and motogp2 is on tomorrow---so show up at 5am for them motogp if you want to see it live or near live. Or it is on at noon and 1pm, or we could watch a recording (don't have a high def recorder yet) anytime b/4 or after a ride----or not. The racing in motogp has not been too shabby this year, the racing in motogp2 has been frickin awesome.